Picnic Cooler with Off/On Spigot and two Sealing Rings with Apertures

ABSTRACT

A picnic cooler that includes a food compartment, a gas tank compartment, an off/on electric spigot, two sealing rings with fixed-size apertures, and two cooling apparatuses. The cooling apparatus includes a twisting piping system and an upper metallic plate that serves as the bottom of the food compartment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/232,092 filed on Dec. 26, 2018, which is a continuation inpart of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/525,068 filed on May 7,2017, which is a National Phase of PCT Patent Application No.PCT/IL2015/051082 having International filing date of 10 Nov. 2015,which claims the benefit of priority of IL Patent Application No. 235670filed on 12 Nov. 2014. The contents of the above applications are allincorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein in theirentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to a picnic cooler with a cooling mechanismthat is based on the introduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into twocooling apparatuses through fixed size apertures in two sealing ring.

BACKGROUND ART

The use of picnic coolers is very prevalent. It is common practice toplace ice packs (plastic containers containing a frozen substance)inside coolers so as cool the interior of the cooler as well as the foodthat is stored in it. The problem is that ice packs only stay frozen fora limited amount of time only, and when the cooler is used outdoors, theuser often wishes to keep the cooler contents chilled for longer periodsof time and additional ice packs are often unavailable. The presentinvention offers an effective and good solution to this problem.

Publication U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,794 (Hereinafter “US794”) discloses acryogenic storage tank device for biological specimens that issurrounded in part by a reservoir that is designed to receive liquidnitrogen and by that to chill the tank. The device of US794 has adifferent structure than the picnic cooler subject matter of the presentinvention, for example said device does not have an off/on electricspigot, a first sealing ring with a narrow aperture, a first coolingapparatus, a second sealing ring with a narrow aperture and a secondcooling apparatus, which are important components of the picnic cooler(100).

Publication U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,109 (Hereinafter “US109”) discloses afreezer having a storage compartment refrigerated by vaporization ofliquid nitrogen discharged under pressure into the compartment formrefillable tanks housed within a separated chamber. The freezer of US109has a different structure than the picnic cooler subject matter of thepresent invention, for example said freezer does not have an off/onelectric spigot, a first sealing ring with a narrow aperture, a firstcooling apparatus, a second sealing ring with a narrow aperture and asecond cooling apparatus, which are important components of the picniccooler (100). Publication US2013008182 (Hereinafter “US182”) mentions bythe way an apparatus for storing perishable food with an independentcooling mechanism based on liquid nitrogen that comprises a dedicatedcompartment for a nitrogen tank. However, the apparatus of US182 doesnot have an off/on electric spigot in the meaning as explained in thisapplication, does not have two sealing ring with a narrow apertures anddoes not have a first and second cooling apparatuses as the picniccooler of the present invention has.

Publication US2006053828 (Hereinafter “US828”) discloses a cooler usingdry ice as a cooling agent. The cooler of US828 has a differentstructure than the picnic cooler subject matter of the presentinvention, for example said cooler does not have an off/on electricspigot, a first sealing ring with a narrow aperture, a first coolingapparatus, a second sealing ring with a narrow aperture and a secondcooling apparatus, which are important components of the picnic cooler(100).

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The intention of the drawing attached to the application is not to limitthe scope of the invention and its application. The drawing is intendedonly to illustrate the invention and it constitutes only one of its manypossible implementations.

FIG. 1 depicts a cross section of the cooling apparatus (1) thatincludes the internal compartment (8), an adapter (9), passage (91) anda ventilation opening (92).

FIG. 2 presents a schematic cross-section of a picnic cooler (100) witha compartment designed to contain a gas canister (101), a gas canister(102), an electric spigot (103), a cooling apparatus (104) that includespiping (1040) and an upper plate (1041), an aperture through which gasis introduced into the cooler (105), an aperture (106) with aunidirectional valve (1061) through which gas is released from thecooler, an electric power source (107), and a command and control system(108) that includes a controller (1081), a temperature sensor (1082),and a display and operation panel (1083).

FIG. 3 presents a schematic description of the cooling apparatus (104),which includes piping (1040) and an upper plate (1041).

FIG. 4 presents a schematic description of the cooling apparatus (104)which includes two sealing ring (500) and (600) and two coolingapparatuses (104) and (700).

FIGS. 5 and 6 depict the sealing ring (500) and (600).

FIG. 7 depicts the first cooling apparatus (104) and the sealing rings(500) and (600).

THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a picniccooler with an independent cooling mechanism that is based on the use ofcompressed carbon dioxide at a very low temperature. The four sides andbottom of the cooler each include an internal compartment made of ametallic material, preferably stainless steel.

Each such internal compartment has two, or more, apertures: one apertureleads from the compartment to the interior of the cooler and/or to theexterior of the cooler, and the second aperture connects to an adapterthat is designed to connect to a carbon dioxide canister, whichintroduces into the compartment carbon dioxide at a very lowtemperature. The encounter between the carbon dioxide and the oxygen inthe air within the internal compartment and with the sides of thecompartment causes rapid cooling of the compartment, to a very lowtemperature, and as a result to the cooling of the inner sides of thepicnic cooler, the interior of the cooler, and its contents. Usingcarbon dioxide for said purpose is very effective; it may be stored at arelatively low pressure, and it is neither flammable, toxic, norexplosive.

In principle, the connector, which is designed to enable theintroduction of carbon dioxide from a separate canister into theinternal compartment, may be positioned in the external side of thepicnic cooler or within the cooler itself, as depicted for instance inthe attached drawings. Internal compartments may be located within one,two, three, or all four sides of the cooler and also in the bottom ofthe cooler. The figures attached to the application depict a picniccooler with internal compartments in all four sides as well as in thebottom of the cooler. In these drawings, the connector designed toconnect to the carbon dioxide canister is located within the cooler.

The picnic cooler (1), subject of the present invention, is shapedexternally like any other standard picnic cooler, and has four sides:right side (2), left side (3), back side (4) and front side, not shownin the figures, a bottom (6), and a cover (7). The cooler (1) and itsstandard components may be made of materials customarily used tomanufacture coolers. For instance, the inner and outer sides may be madeof rigid plastic with an insulating material in between, such as foamrubber and so.

The internal compartments (8), located within the walls of the cooler(1), are made of a metallic material such as stainless steel, or anyother known material that cools efficiently upon contact with carbondioxide. To achieve higher cooling efficiency, the size of internalcompartments (8) should generally match those of respective sides andbottom of the cooler. In addition, the inner side (81) of the internalcompartment (8) should be closely adjacent to the respective inner sideof the cooler, means the inner side of the right side (21), the innerside of the left side (31) and the inner sides of the back and the frondsides, which are not shown in the figures, so as to enable efficient andrapid flow of cold from the internal compartment (8) to the interior ofthe picnic cooler (1), and the space between the outer side (82) of theinternal compartment (8) and the respective outer side of the cooler,means the outer side of the right side (22), the outer side of the leftside (32) and the outer sides of the back and the frond sides, which arenot shown in the figures, should be filled with standard or otherinsulation material so as to prevent loss of cold to the exterior carbondioxide should flow from the internal compartment (8) into the interiorof the cooler (1). In addition, the internal compartment (8) may havemetal protrusions, mesh partitions, and so on, to create a moreefficient cooling effect, i.e. to increase contact surface between themetal and the carbon dioxide introduced into the internal compartment.

Shape of internal compartment (8): The internal compartment (8) may beshaped like a narrow rectangular box and should be designed to beintegrated into one side of the picnic cooler. Several such internalcompartments may be integrated into one or more sides of the cooler, andeven into its bottom. The cooler (1) may alternatively be constructed sothat the internal compartment (8) has the general shape of a box withfour sides and a bottom, and is built into the picnic cooler, asdepicted for instance in the drawings attached to the application.

Introduction of carbon dioxide into the internal compartment (8): Thepicnic cooler is equipped with an adapter (9) to which to a canister(99), containing carbon dioxide at a low temperature, may be attached.The adapter has a passage (91) designed to enable the introduction ofcarbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide canister (99) into the internalcompartment (8). The passage (91) may be an opening, an aperture, oreven a tubule, depending on the distance between the adapter (9) and theside of the internal compartment (8), according to the specificimplementation of the invention. The user can connect a carbon dioxidecanister (99) to the adapter (9) and execute a rotation or pushingmotion, according to the specific implementation of the invention, thusintroducing carbon dioxide from the canister (99), through the adapter(91), into the internal compartment (8). The internal compartment (8)also has a ventilation opening (92) between the inner compartment (8)and the interior of the picnic cooler (1), thus enabling air and carbondioxide to flow out of the internal compartment. The internalcompartment may, of course, have several ventilation openings (92),which may be located in the sides and/or bottom of the cooler. When thecooler (1) is no longer sufficiently cold, the user may attach anothercanister of carbon dioxide (99) to the adapter (9), and introduce carbondioxide into the internal compartment (8), and so on and so forth.

FIG. 1 presents a cross-section of the picnic cooler (1) with aninternal compartment (8), an adaptor (9), a passage (91) and ventilationopenings (92).

The second version of the invention, subject of the present patentapplication, refers to a picnic cooler (100), which is depictedschematically in FIGS. 2 and 3. The picnic cooler (100) is based on anindependent and active cooling system. The cooler (100) is equipped witha designated gas tank compartment (101) in which a gas tank (102) may beinstalled, an off/on electric spigot (103), a first cooling apparatus(104), an aperture for introducing carbon dioxide into the cooler (105),an aperture for releasing carbon dioxide from the cooler (106), anelectric power source (107), and a command and control system (108).

The designated carbon dioxide canister compartment (101) can be locatedwithin the cooler, as depicted for instance in the drawings attached tothe application; alternatively, it may be located or in an externalcompartment. The compartment (101) is equipped with an adapter (1010) towhich the opening of the carbon dioxide canister (102) is connected,enabling the user to exchange the empty, spent carbon dioxide canisterwith a new, full carbon dioxide canister according to need. A tubule,extending from the adapter (1010), introduces carbon dioxide from thecanister (102) into the cooling apparatus (104). The electric spigot(103) is positioned on said tubule or on the adapter itself (1010) andis controlled by the command and control system (108).

The cooling apparatus (104) is made of a metallic material or any othersuitable material and can have a variety of shapes. In addition, it canbe located anywhere within the picnic cooler. The cooling apparatus(104) can, for instance, consist of a system of very thin piping (1040)and an upper metallic plate (1041) that serves also as the inner bottomof the cooler (100), as depicted for instance in the drawings attachedto the application. When carbon dioxide flows from the canister (102)into the cooling apparatus (104) and the piping system (1040), thecooling apparatus (104) becomes cold, due, among other things, to thepressure drops of the carbon dioxide, which in turn causes the interiorof the picnic cooler (100) to become colder. It means that the gas flowsinside the piping system (1040) when it is in a gaseous state, carbondioxide that is introduced into the cooling apparatus (104) and thepiping system (1040) flows into the interior of the cooler through theaperture (105). The term “carbon dioxide” as used in the present patentapplication refers both to carbon dioxide gas as well as any other gasor substance that is used for cooling purposes by expansion; based onthe principle that the droplets of pressure chill the surroundings, inour case is the piping twisted system (1040). Therefore the term “carbondioxide” at the present invention and in the claims should be read asany kind of gas that its temperature drops down in a rapid expansion.

The aperture for releasing carbon dioxide from cooler (106) enables airand gas to flow out from the interior of the cooler. Said aperture isequipped with a unidirectional valve (1016) that is activated uponreaching a preset pressure, which may be slightly higher than oneatmosphere (which is the pressure of the air outside the cooler).

The objective is to prevent buildup of internal pressure within thecooler, which may detrimentally affect the cooler, its cover or itscontents.

The command and control system (108) includes a controller (1081) and atemperature sensor (1082) that measures the temperature within thepicnic cooler. The command and control system (108) may also be equippedwith a display panel (1083), which in turn may be equipped with atouchscreen or a series of buttons that are used to operate the system.The command and control system (108) controls the cooling of the cooler(100) by transmitting a command to open the electric spigot (103) fortime periods that are determined according to the difference between theactual temperature within the cooler and the desired temperature. Thedesired temperature may be preset or it may be determined by the userusing the command and control system. The controller (1081) activatesthe electric spigot when the desired temperature is higher than theactual temperature within the cooler. The command and control system(108) can display a variety of data, such as the temperature inside thecooler, the temperature outside the cooler, the desired temperature, thecharging status of the batteries (107), the amount of carbon dioxideremaining in the canister (102), and so on. In addition, the cooler maybe equipped with built-in speakers, which may be connected to aBluetooth and/or USB socket and/or any socket in another structure, andenable the user to play music etc. by means of a smart phone device orany other device with similar abilities.

FIG. 2 presents a schematic cross-section of the picnic cooler (100)with a compartment that contains a gas canister (101), a gas canister(102), an electric spigot (103), a cooling device (104) that includespiping (1040) and an upper plate (1041), an aperture for introducing gasinto the cooler (105), an aperture for releasing gas from the cooler(106) and a unidirectional valve (1061), an electric power source (107),and a command and control system (108) that includes a controller(1081), a temperature sensor (1082), and a display and activation panel(1083). FIG. 3 presents a schematic description of the cooling device(104) that includes piping (1040) and an upper plate (1041).

As it is understood from the above explanations and the figures, thepicnic cooler (100), includes a food compartment (150), a carbon dioxidetank compartment (101), a carbon dioxide tank adapter (1010), anelectric spigot (103), a cooling apparatus (104), an electric powersource (107), and a command and control system (108).

The carbon dioxide tank compartment (101) is designed to receive acarbon dioxide tank (102). The food compartment (150) includes a releaseaperture (106) with unidirectional valve (1061) that is designed torelease air and gas outside from the interior of the food compartment(150).

The cooling apparatus (104) includes a twisting piping system (1040) andan upper metallic plate (1041), wherein said upper metallic plate (1041)serves also as the inner bottom of the food compartment (150). The firstend (1040A) of the twisting piping system (1040) is connected to theadapter (1010) and the second end (1040B) of the twisting piping system(1040) includes a secondary aperture (105) that is positioned inside thefood compartment (150). The carbon dioxide tank (102) is designed to beconnected to the carbon dioxide tank adapter (1010), and the electricspigot (103) is designed to open and close the carbon dioxide tank (102)and to be controlled by the command and control system (108).

The command and control system (108) includes a controller (1081), atemperature sensor (1082) that measures the temperature inside the foodcompartment (150), and a display panel (1083). The command and controlsystem (108) is designed to control the temperature of the foodcompartment (150) by transmitting a command to open and close theelectric spigot (103) for certain periods of times.

When the carbon dioxide flows from the carbon dioxide tank (102) intothe piping twisted system (1040) then the piping twisted system (1040)becomes cold due to a pressure drop and cooling the upper metallic plate(1041) that in turns cooling the food compartment (150). The flow of thegas from the piping twisted system (1040) into the interior of the foodcompartment (150) through the secondary aperture (105) causes additionalpressure drop and the carbon dioxide become colder and assist to coolthe interior of the food compartment (150).

The abovementioned second version of the invention subject of thepresent patent application has another advantageous variation which issimilar to the explanations above, but with the following changes, asunderstood from FIG. 4 and the followings:

A picnic cooler (100), comprising: a food compartment (150), a gas tankcompartment (101), an off/on electric spigot (103), a first sealing ring(500) with a first fixed-sized narrow aperture (501), a first coolingapparatus (104), a second sealing ring (600) with a second fixed-sizednarrow aperture (601), a second cooling apparatus (700), an electricpower source (107), and a command and control system (108);

wherein the gas tank compartment (101) is designed to receive a gas tank(102) so that the opening of said gas tank (102) is facing downward andconnected to the off/on electric spigot (103);

wherein the cooling apparatus (104) includes a twisting piping system(1040) and an upper metallic plate (1041); wherein said upper metallicplate (1041) serves also as the bottom of the food compartment (150);

wherein a first end (1040A) of the twisting piping system (1040) isconnected to the first sealing ring (500) and then to the off/onelectric spigot (103) and a second end (1040B) of the twisting pipingsystem (1040) is connected to the second sealing ring (600) and then tothe second cooling apparatus (700);

wherein the command and control system (108) includes a controller(1081), and a temperature sensor (1082) that is designed to measures thetemperature inside the food compartment (150); wherein the command andcontrol system (108) is designed to control the temperature of the foodcompartment (150) by transmitting a command to open or close the off/onelectric spigot (103);whereby when gas flows from the gas tank (102) into the piping twistedsystem (1040) through the first sealing ring (500) the gas becomescolder due to rapid pressure drop of the gas whereby cooling the uppermetallic plate (1041) that in turns cooling the food compartment (150);whereby the flow of the gas from the piping twisted system (1040) intothe second cooling apparatus (700) through the second fixed-sized narrowaperture (601) of the second sealing ring (600) causes additional rapidpressure drop whereby said gas become colder and assist to cool theinterior of the food compartment (150). The gas flows through narrowfixed-sized narrow aperture (501) and (601) of the sealing rings (500)and (600) and the pressure in the narrow apertures increases due to thenarrowing of the cut-off area, and then after exit the gas is rapidlyexpands in the cooling apparatuses (104) and (700), its pressure isdecreases due to that rapid expansion and it cools the environment. Therole of the second sealing ring (600) is actually to produce a sort ofrapid burst of additional gas expansion that causes further temperaturedrop. The presence of the sealing rings (500) and (600) with thefixed-sized narrow apertures (500) and (601) allows the cooling process.

FIG. 4 presents a schematic description of the cooling apparatus (104)which includes two sealing rings (500) and (600) and two coolingapparatuses (104) and (700).

The opening of the tank (102) is facing downward while connected to theoff/on electric spigot (103) so the liquid part of the gas will streamoutside of the tank and not the gasses that are located in its upperpart.

The meaning of the term “off/on” in the component off/on electric spigot(103) is that the spigot can be in an open state or in a closed state,but cannot be controlled as to the extent of the opening. Electricspigots that can be controlled as to the extent of their opening arevery expensive and therefore the invention employs an off/on electricspigot that together with two cooling apparatuses together with twosealing ring, one before the first cooling apparatus and the secondsealing ring between the first and the second cooling apparatus createsa constant and efficient cooling.

The gas in the tank as usually may be purchased in the market when it isa type of CO2 for example is usually about 70 bars. The gasses pressurein the first cooling apparatuses (104) is determined by the aperturessizes of the first and the second sealing rings (500) and (600).

A desired pressure in case of CO2 may be from 25 to 40 bars, depend onthe desired temperature. In experiments on a working prototype of thesystem, the following data became clear: when the pressure of the gasdrops through the sealing ring from 70 bars at a 31 Celsius to 25 barsthen the gas temperature become minus 10 Celsius; to pressure of 30 barswill lead to a temperature of minus 5 Celsius; pressure of 35 bars willlead to a temperature of 0 Celsius; and pressure of 40 bars will lead toa temperature of 5 Celsius.

The fixed-sized narrow aperture sizes of the sealing rings (500) and(600) are designed to maintain a gas pressure inside the first coolingapparatus (104) from 20 to 40 bars (in case of CO2) when the off/onelectric spigot is active. The dimensions of the sealing ring, thecooling apparatuses, the volume of the cooler and the other parametersshould be suit and fit to the desired temperature. The gas flowsconstantly from the first cooling apparatus (104) through the secondsealing ring (600) to the second cooling apparatus (700) and theinvention employ this pressure drop to cool the cooler. The pressure inthe second cooling apparatus (700) is 1 (one) bar and then the gas flowsoutside from it. Controlling the temperature of the cooler (100) is donesolely by opening and closing the off/on electric spigot.

Each one of the sealing rings (500) and (600) is in fact a small discwith narrow aperture (501) and (601) accordingly, as depicted forexample in FIGS. 5 and 6. The first cooling apparatus (104) is in fact anarrow pipe in which the sealing rings (500) and (600) are positioned asdepicted in the drawings. So, if the diameter of the pipe 104 is about 5mm then the diameter of the narrow apertures (501) and (601) can beabout 0.5 mm, as depicted for example in FIG. 7.

The cross section of the pipe 104 at the point where the sealing ring500 is mounted is very narrow relative to the general cross section ofthe pipe 104, and so is the point at which the sealing ring 600 ispositioned. The second cooling apparatus (700) is also a twisted pipe asthe first cooling apparatus (104). The first cooling apparatus (104) hasone entrance which is the narrow aperture 501 of the first sealing ring500 and has one exit which is the narrow aperture 601 of the secondsealing ring 600. The second cooling apparatus (700) also has oneentrance which is the narrow aperture 601 of the second sealing ring 600and one exit which is the aperture 106.

As stated above, the gas inside the gas tank (102) is about 70 bar. Whena certain quantity of gas is splashed outside from the gas tank (102)into the cooling apparatuses (104), which in fact is a long twistednarrow pipe, this quantity of gas is expand in the volume of the coolingapparatus (104) and by that its pressure drops to about 25 to 40 bar.When the gas rapidly expands it becomes colder, similar to theprinciples of refrigerators and air conditioners. The part of the pipe104 between the first sealing ring 500 and the second sealing ring 600is in fact like a container that contains that gas. This gas flowsconstantly from this part of pipe 104 through the narrow aperture 601 ofthe second sealing ring 600 into the second cooling apparatus (700). Inthis point the gas rapidly expands too, gets colder and cools theenvironment, as explained above. The gas in the second cooling apparatus(700) is in a pressure of one bar.

What is claimed is:
 1. A picnic cooler, comprising: a food compartment,a gas tank compartment, an off/on electric spigot, a first sealing ringwith a first fixed-size aperture, a first cooling apparatus, a secondsealing ring with a second fixed-size aperture, a second coolingapparatus, an electric power source, and a command and control system;wherein the gas tank compartment is designed to receive a gas tank sothat the opening of said gas tank is facing downward and connected tothe off/on electric spigot; wherein the cooling apparatus includes atwisting piping system and an upper metallic plate; wherein said uppermetallic plate serves also as the bottom of the food compartment;wherein a first end of the twisting piping system is connected to thefirst sealing ring and then to the off/on electric spigot and a secondend of the twisting piping system is connected to the second sealingring and then to the second cooling apparatus; wherein the command andcontrol system includes a controller, and a temperature sensor that isdesigned to measures the temperature inside the food compartment;wherein the command and control system is designed to control thetemperature of the food compartment by transmitting a command to open orclose the off/on electric spigot; whereby when gas flows from the gastank into the piping twisted system through the first fixed-sizeaperture of the first sealing ring the pressure of the gas in the firstfixed-size aperture increases due to the narrowing of the cut-off area,and then when exit from the first fixed-size aperture the gas rapidlyexpands in the first cooling apparatus, its pressure is decreases and itbecomes colder whereby cooling the upper metallic plate that in turnscooling the food compartment; whereby when the gas flows from the firstcooling apparatus into the second cooling apparatus through the secondfixed-size aperture of the second sealing ring the pressure of the gasin the second fixed-size aperture increases due to the narrowing of thecut-off area, and then when exit from the second fixed-size aperture thegas rapidly expands in the second cooling apparatus, its pressure isdecreases and it becomes colder whereby cooling the food compartment.